Foyt slams Matos for accident, but was it Meira’s fault?

Vitor Meira's car climbs the wall as Matos goes spinning. It was just a racing incident for sure

Dan Helrigel/IMS

Vitor Meira and Raphael Matos came together entering Turn 1 late in the Indy 500, resulting in a big crash and Meira breaking his back.

Car owner A.J. Foyt, the four-time 500 champion, was true to old-school form and didn't mince words even though he probably was wrong once again.

"I don't know what the kid is doing," Foyt said of Matos, a 27-year-old rookie. "There's too many damn road racers who don't know how to run ovals (Editor's Note: Castroneves is a road racer and he won for the 3rd time. As usual Foyt is blowing smoke out of you know what).

"He should have seen that (Meira) had the groove and then to turn right down on his right rear, that's just driving with your head up your (butt). I hate to say it, but it's pretty stupid what the kid did."

"I wasn't going to try to pass Vitor on the outside of turn one with 30 laps to go in a bunch of marbles," Matos retorted. "I gave him plenty of room and he just turned the car like there was nobody there.

"I don't care what A.J. says about me. All I care is what my team says about me. My team really believes in me. And I have 100 percent respect for Vitor. We are friends outside of the track. It was a race incident. I don't think it was my fault. If A.J. wants to blame me and say that, that's his right. And I'm not surprised he's saying that. He always talks a lot."